of you when you apprehend your selves to be in trouble you then cry to God to be preserved but to what end wherefore would you be preserved wherefore would you live If we may judge of your ends according to your practise you would live that you may have more time to satisfie your lusts that you may have more time to dishonour God that you may have more time to do mischief in the places where you live There is this in the heart and God sees it God sees whatsoever will be after in your lives God sees before what was in your hearts when you cried to be preserved But now one that is gracious he desires therefore to be preserved O saith he that I might live to be of use in that place where God hath placed me If God should take me away now my conscience tells me that it is little service that I have done for him I have been of little use in the place where God hath set me O that I might be preserved for this end that what I am or have or have been might extend to the Saints on earth even the excellent in whom is all my delight Thus you have the scope of the words and the dependance of them And in them there are these two things observable 1. Observation First the high esteem of the Saints They are the excellent of the earth 2 Observation And secondly the sweet delight that Davids heart had in them in whom is all my delight For the first the high esteem that David had of the Saints the Saints that were on earth the Excellent The point is this that the Saints of God those that are godly are the excellent in the earth Then secondly from this that he saith in whom is all my delight Observe this that a gracious heart above all things in this world takes the most contentment in the Saints of God he is much delighted in them The first is but a preparation to the second therefore I shall passe it over briefly They are the excellent in the earth therefore my delight is in them They are the excellent in the earth Let them be what they will in regard of their outward meanness yet there is an excellency in them Iob scraping upon the dunghill and Ieremy sticking in the mire in the dungeon yet they had more glory and beauty upon them then the greatest Potentates of the earth when they sate upon their thrones Though they lie among the pots as the Psalmist saith yet are they as Doves their wings are the wings of Doves whose feathers are of gold and silver Psalm 68.13 beautifull and glorious You know the judgement that the holy Ghost passeth upon the Saints in old time that were outwardly mean enough there is as much meanness on them as the malice of the world could put the Text saith they had tryalls of mockings of scourgings of bonds and imprisonments they were sawen assunder they were tempted they wandred in sheepskins goats skins destitute afflicted tormented What kind of creatures were these surely they were some wretched men and women that were thus hunted up and down to wander in sheeps-skins and goats-skins destitute afflicted and tormented No such matter they were such of whom the world was not worthy v. 38. that is the judgement of the holy Ghost upon such the world was not worthy of them The men of the world would have thought and did think that they were such as were not worthy to live in the world but the judgement of the holy Ghost was such that the world was not worthy of them I remember Chrysostome hath this interpretation of the phrase they are such as are worth more then all the world more then many thousands of the world one of them is worth more then all the men of the world besides It is a truth so one Saint of God though never so mean one poor youth one servant that is truly gracious is worth more then all the men of the world besides that are not so All the Monarchs and Princes on earth have not that excellency in them that one poor child or servant hath that is gracious and belongs to God But the ordinary interpretation is thus they are such as have that excellency as that the world is not worthy to enjoy them they are not worthy of their presence that they should so much as live among them they are rather fit to be set as stars in heaven be before the Lord in his glory the world is not worthy of them But what is there in the Saints that makes them the excellent in the earth The Saints that are the excellent The word in the originall signifies the magnificent ones those that have magnificent spirits and are exceeding glorious There is this in them that I may briefly passe over this first They have the image of God upon them and therefore they must needs be the excellent on earth The image of God makes them to resemble God in that which the creature is able to conceive of That which is the height of Gods excellency though it be true whatsoever is in God is God himself yet we conceiving of God according to our manner of speaking there is something of God that appears most excellent and glorious And it must needs be in regard of that expression because grace is called the image of God Now when we draw the image of a thing we draw it as near as we can according to that which is the most proper excellency of that thing If I would draw the image of a man I do not draw the likenesse of a piece of flesh a beast hath that as well as a man or I do not draw feet or legs or the back parts of a man but when the image of a man is drawn his face is chiefly looked after to be drawn which is the most excellentest part of man and there we endeavour to expresse his life and spirit as much as can be for that is the most excellent part and though the spirit cannot be drawn and there can be no picture of it yet because it is shewen most in the face that is as near as we can go that is drawn there So the image of God is that wherein the creature resembles God in height of excellency and glory It is not every resemblance of God that is Gods image there are some things that set out some of the glory of God and they are but called Gods footsteps or his back parts All the resemblance of God in his creatures and the expressions of his power and wisedome the invisible things of God that we see in the creature they are all but his footsteps and back-parts they are not his image Why because they do not resemble God in that which he hath set out to us to be the height of his glory What is that The holinesse of God that is the height of his excellency Therefore it is
THE SAINTS INHERITANCE AND THE VVORLDLINGS PORTION Representing The Glorious condition of a child of God and the Misery of having ones Portion in this World Vnfolding the State of true happiness with the Marks Means and Members thereof By IER BURROUGHS Psal 144.15 Blessed is that People whose God is the Lord. LONDON Printed for Francis Eglesfield at the Marigold in St. Paul's Church-yard 1657. The Authours Epistle to the Reader IT hath been the way of God in speaking to men and drawing their hearts to him to apply himself to them in those things they have skill of and are acquainted with When Christ was revealed to the Wise men that came from the East it was by a Star they were Astronomers and conversed much in the contemplation of the Stars and God speaks to them accordingly When our Saviour called Fishermen to follow him he tells them Hee will make them Fishers of men hee expresseth himself unto them in their own way And it may be the sutablenesse of these subjects may invite some to read this treatise especially it being the desires of many that heard the same and found some work of God upon their hearts by them to have it by them at first I was unwilling to let such sudden things appear so publike but after considering that some way it may be usefull and a little good is worth much of my time and labour who knows what a truth what a hint fitted to the apprehensions of people in their own way may doe therefore here you have it and the Lord prosper it to you Yours in Christ IER BURROUGHS KNow Christian Reader that Part of this Work was perfected by the Authour in his life time But it pleased God to take him away before the rest was finished whereby the Copie was for a time mislayed with some difficulty at length procured which is now published for thy good Bless God for preserving such a Iewell and see thy soul bee inriched by it Let it not be said there was a Prize put into thy hand but thou hadst not a heart to make use of it Remember thou hast an immortall soul and art capable of living in immortall glory therfore be not put off with the things of this life Let not that satisfy thy soul which may stand with the eternall hatred of the great God least while others partake of an Inheritance above thou have a Portion with reprobates belowe Thou mightst have been past reading or hearing of these things and have found by sad experience what it is to be excluded the Saints felicities Imbrace the Opportunity and pass by the escapes of Printing So Farewell THE VVORLDLINGS PORTION 17. Psalm 14. From men of the world who have their portion in this life THis Psalme is Davids moan unto God under Sauls persecution sine dubio Saulum saith Molerus upon it without doubt the Psalmist aymes at Saul in it wherein we have these 4. things First he appeals unto God to judge the uprightnesse of his heart towards Saul Let my sentence come from my presence from Saul and his Courtiers there comes a hard sentence they call me Traytor they call me Rebell but Lord leave me not unto their sentence let my sentence come from thy presence that I know will be another sentence then what cometh from them for thou hast proved me and tried me and findest nothing in me that is the first thing Secondly his prayer to God to keep him in his way his going and his footsteps from sliding Lord whatsoever the wrath of Saul be against me yet let neither that nor any other thing put me out of thy way but keep my heart close unto thee and keep my paths in thy way let not my footsteps so much as slide from thee for Lord they watch at my halting if they can find but the least slip from me they take advantage of it to the utmost and I am a poor weak creature therefore Lord keep me that my footsteps may not slide Thirdly he prayes for deliverance shew thy marveillous loving kindnesse to me O Lord my straights they are marveillous I know not what to do nor whether to turn me but my eyes are towards thee as my straights are marveillous so let thy loving kindnesse be marveillous towards me and keep me as the apple of thy eye O Lord I am but as a dog a vile creature in the eyes of Saul and those about him but blessed be thy name I can look up to thee and know that I am dear unto thee as the apple of thy eye all the Saints of God are dear to God at all times but the persecuted Saints they are the apple of Gods eye if at any time they are dear to God then especially when they are most persecuted they are the apple of his eye and the apple of an eye you know is weak and little able to resist any hurt which makes men the more tender of it the more weak and shiftlesse Gods people are for themselves the Lord is so much the more tender over them And one argument that the Psalmist useth in praying against his enemies is this and a speciall one because they prospered so much in this world they are inclosed in fat and have their hearts desire and thou fillest their bellies with thy hid treasure they leave to their babes they have their portion in this life Lord keep me from them Lastly he doth professe his resolution yet notwithstanding all the dangers he was in to go on in the wayes of God and expects a gratious issue but I saith he will behold thy face in righteousnesse indeed I cannot behold the face of the King without danger there are a great many that run to kill me and I desire his face but though I cannot see his face yet Lord I shall behold thy face I will behold thy face and it shall be in righteousnesse I will still keep on in the wayes of righteousnesse and when I awake for I believe that these troubles will not hold long I shall not sleep a perpetuall sleep but I shall be delivered and satisfied with thy likenesse there shall be the manifestation of thy glory to me that shall satisfy me for all the troubles that I have endured for thy names sake that my soul shall say I have enough this is the summe of this Psalme Now the words read unto you are a description of Davids adversaries implying an argument why he would be delivered from them they are described to be men of this world they were onely those that were adversaries to him and a comfort it must needs be to the Saints of God to see that none are their enemies but wordly persons men of this world who have their portion in this life they have somewhat here and here is all they are like to have Secondly it implies the argument why he would be delivered Lord deliver me from them because they are men of this world who have
their portion in this life where lies the force of this argument that he would be delivered from them because they were men of this world that have their portion in this life It consists first in this Lord they care not what injustice they do they have no regard of any thing but in this world therefore be it right or wrong may they have but their lusts in this world that is all they care for Lord deliver me from such men Secondly here is all their good their portion is in this life and therefore they are greedy upon this if they may have this let it be with the ruine of never so many men though it be to raise their estates by my ruine and the ruines of others that are never so innocent what care they they are greedy upon having their lusts satisfied for here is all their portion they care not for religion they will make use of pretences of religion any way for their own ends what care they what pretences they make for religion so they may thrive in the world they regard not anything in religion so they may have their own ends Lord deliver me from such men Thirdly they have their portion in this world hence is it that their hearts are so swelled with pride in their lusts and so warm their malice is so heated that it is outragious O let not the foot of pride come upon me deliver me from proud men that flusht with the enjoyment of their hearts desires As long as they may have their own ends and fulfill their lusts they will be exceedingly hardened in their own wayes they will give no glory to thee but will be so much the more enraged against thy people by taking that as an argument that their wayes are good Lord therefore deliver me from those men they scorne at prayer or any thing that is said concerning the tendernesse of Conscience they despise Conscience and Prayer Lord let me never fall into the hands of such deliver me from the men of this world who have their portion in this life from the men of the world that is from mortall men from men though of the world yet are not like to enjoy the world long so some translate it Remember how short my time is saith David how short what little time I have in this world the men of this world shall have but a little time here the Hebrew word that is translated men with the change of the position of one prick signifies dead men mortui as well as viri I say with the change not of a prick but onely of the position of one prick of one point it signifies dead men they are men of the world but such men as are within one prick of death within one point of death howsoever they rejoyce in this life They are men that have all they have but onely leased for their lives nay not so much as leased they have but an estate of life at the most and this present life unto them as in stead of all lives There are these 2. doctrinall conclusions in the words that lie plainly before you The first is there are a generation of men to whom God gives some outward good things for a while but these are all that ever they are like to have they shall never have any more good from God then that they have here for the present Secondly that Gods Saints do desire to be delivered from such kind of men these 2. contain in them the hope of the holy ghost in the words First there are a generation of men unto whom God gives out a portion some comforts in this world and here is all that they are like to have And now set your hearts I beseech you unto what I have to say in this argument for meditating what to pitch upon for such an assembly I could not determine of an argument that I thought might more reach unto the hearts of those to whom I was to speak then this and I hope before I have done you will find it such a serious argument that concerns us all I have read of Gregory that being advanced to preferment he professed that there was no Scripture that went so to his heart that struck such a trembling into his spirit and daunted him so much as that Scripture did Here you have your reward Son in your life time you have had your pleasure O this was a dreadfull Scripture that sounded in his ears continually as Ierome speaks of that Scripture arise ye dead and come to judgement night and day he thought that Scripture sounded in his ears so Gregory here you have your reward in this life you have had your pleasure this was the Scripture that night and day sounded in his ears O that it might please God to assist me so far this day that I might make this Scripture ring in your eares even when you lie upon your beds after the Sermon is done that you may not forget the sound of it Men of this world who have their portion in this life if this Scripture should prove to be the portion of any one of you of the richest in this place woe unto him that ever he was born which I shall anon make out fully to you But you 'le say do you think to preach to men that have their portion here in this life I fear me I may meet with such whom it nearly concerns in this congregation therefore be not any of you too ready to put off this from you to think your selves out of the danger of this Scripture for it was spoken concerning Saul and Saul might have for ought I know as strong arguments of Gods love to him as many of you I fear have this day For 1. Saul was a man chosen immediately by God himself to be the first King that ever was over his own people and was not that a great favour 2. Saul for his person was one of the godliest men that was amongst all Israel higher from the shoulders to the head then any of them and for his endowments he was a man whom God did endow with admirable gifts of government he caused another spirit to come upon him he was a man that when he heard of his preferment seemed to be very humble as judging himself unworthy of such a dignity saying who am I and what is my Fathers house that I should be thus exalted and when he had been chosen some that would reject him notwithstanding Gods honouring of him Saul had a mighty power over his spirit he was very week and a quiet man for the Text saith he held his peace when the Children of Belial said what have we to do with him yea 3. Though he were quiet in his own cause yet he shewed himself to have an excellent spirit in a publick cause he was full of anger when it was for the good of the people that he was a governour over
indeed when they came to receive their wages but saith the M r of the vineyard did you not agree with me so so you agree with God all you intend in Gods service is that you may have some present comfort in this world you dare not trust God for the future and here is that that God will shew his infinite displeasure against the sin of distrust by that when the Lord propounds now in this day of grace such glorious and blessed things to the children of men and for ought you know any of you may have your portion in them as well as others yet you dare not trust God for these gratious things you think rather with your selves let me have somewhat now somewhat for the present that for the present is reall that which you talk off is to come I know not whether they be imaginations or no Therefore you mean it seems to serve God for your present pay present pay you shall have no more there are some servants that are your day labourers that expect their pay at night and if you give them that there is an end but there are other servants that will serve you in expectation of a reversion expectation of preferment especially when they serve noble men Princes though they have no present pay given them at night yet they go on cheerfully in their service they expect some great reversions and leases preferments afterwards now though they have nothing at present yet when the other befalls them they and their posterities are inriched this is the direct difference between the men of the world Gods children the men of the world will do nothing without present pay that which is just before them they must needs have their hearts are upon that but the Saints they hear what a blessed thing God hath revealed in his word what a blessed Covenant of grace there is what rich promises of glorious things to come now they believe God and trust in God for these and they say Lord let me have my portion in the life to come and what ever thou doest with me here I care not as it was the speech of Austin Lord here burn here cut mee but spare mee hereafter I am content Lord to be burnt to be cut to endure any thing in the world onely hereafter I look for somewhat else and I 'le wait for hereafter You 'le not wait for hereafter but you must have it for the present and that is the reason you are put off here O it is a serious thing I speak off to you many a soul will wring its hands and curse it self eternally that it was not content to trust God for hereafter but would have present pay you that are great Merchants if you buy a thing that is but a trifle you pull out your purse and give the mony down presently but suppose you go to the exchange and bargain for 1000 l. there you may give a little down now but the great pay must come upon pay dayes afterwards it is not expected it should be presently done so there are some men in the world will trade with God but they trade with God for pidling things for their credit and applause and for their preferments and estates God gives down the pay presently you shall have it there is your mony presently it is done but now there are other of Gods Saints that trade with God for great things for immortality and glory a Kingdom and the Crown of eternall life now they expect not to have it down presently they are content to stay O these are the best Traders the best Merchants that will trade with God for great things and be content to stay Further these things that are here they are the onely suitable things to your hearts and what will you do with any more hereafter these things doe exceedingly please you and give you content as agreable to you and the things that are to come are disagreable what would men do that are carnall and wicked now what would they do in heaven certainly if you hate Gods Saints now that have but a little grace you would hate them infinitely more afterwards when they are perfect in grace when all your common gifts shall be taken away for so it shall be now the things of God are unsuitable to you though you have now many common gifts and you now abhorre the grace of God though it be imperfect what then when all common gifts shall be taken from you and grace made perfect how insuitable will it be then to you therefore expect nothing hereafter Again 5. You abuse your portion you have now what will you do with more who will trust you with the true riches you abuse that you have indeed men of the world that are wicked and very rich and preferr'd to places of honour and power O what a deal of mischief they do in the world what dreadfull evills are they unto the earth such men how do they abuse their portions why now as it is with a tooth in a mans head a tooth indeed is preferr'd to have an eminent place in the head but when the tooth comes to be rotten painfull what do we but pull it out and throw it away so though God preferres men to eminent places when through their wickednesse they grow rotten and do hurt the Lord pluckes them out in his anger they abuse their portion and do a great deal of mischief therefore must expect to be thrown away But above all the argument is because they have no interest in Iesus Christ the rich treasures of the infinite grace of God are let out in Christ God hath divers conduit pipes as I may say of his grace to let out unto his creatures there are some lesser conduit pipes and those conduit pipes may be opened through the generall bounty of God but now the Lord hath the great current of his eternall mercies for some that he doth intend eternall good unto and this great current of his it is stopped by justice the infinite justice of God doth stop this great current so as it cannot be opened to have any drop of that mercy let out untill the divine justice comes to be satisfied in the mean time the other smaller pipes run the generall bounty of God still flowes Christ therefore out of pitty to mankind that they may not be put off with these generall outward comforts he comes and satisfies Gods infinite justice that he might open the current the sluce of his infinite eternall grace to others now happy are those creatures who have interest in the Lord Christ for this is his work to satisfy the justice of the Father that so the great pipe may be opened and then flowes in all grace infinite eternall grace when that comes once to be opened no mervail though we hear of such glorious things that the Saints of God have in the life to come no
sheep wander a little out of his place it knows not how to come back again but wanders up and down till it be lost swine are not so ungodly men though they go up and down wandering they know how to come to their trough at night they have better skill in the world they are more artificiall in the things of this life as the Scripture speaks the children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light why is it why their portion is in this world Secondly here we see the reason why there are so great ones in the world that regard religion so little as they do and the wayes of God and the Church of God why it is not their portion those things that concerns another life is not any part of their portion they mind what it is that concerns the present life because this is their portion when many come into places of dignitie and power what are their thoughts why now they think of gratifying their servants now they think of respect and honour that they shall have abroad in the world and be accounted some body now they think of revenging all their wrongs of making up of all their broken titles c. this hath been heretofore very ordinary in men advanced amongst you these are all their thoughts as for doing service for God and for the Church and vindicating the truth of God and his honour that is scarce in all their thoughts for they do not look upon that as part of their portion here is the reason why so many magistrates are like to Gallio caring for none of those things they were to him but matter of words and yet they were about the great fundamentall points of religion whether Christ were the true Messias and whether he were God or no but to Gallio these things were but matter of words and so the great things of God and religion to carnall hearts are things of no great consequence yea when as Sosthenes that was the ruler of the Sinagogue for countenancing of Paul had the rude multitude of the Citie rose up to apprehend him Gallio cared for none of these things what did he care for rectifying any thing that was amisse in religion O let us say they that have their portion here what ever becomes of things let us have peace say they that we may live peaceably in our houses and enjoy that we have quietly they look no further then that because their portion is here As for truth how do they reject that and contemne it such a speech as is credibly reported hath come from a Citizen here even in cursing of truth so as had he lived amongst the Iews he would certainly have been stoned to death let us have peace and a pox of truth I say such a speech as this among the Iews would have caused him to have been stoned to death being such horrible blasphemy but how many are ready to say with Pilate when as Christ talked to him of truth truth saith Pilate what is truth as if he had said what a strange man is this the man is in danger of his life and he talks of truth what is truth saith Pilate and turns it back upon him presently just thus for all the world are the hearts of many they think what should we look at truth or at any thing now but to preserve our lives and estates and outward comforts in the world what is truth They are a company of mad-braind-fellows that are factious and seditious who talk of truth but know not what they say come let us have peace though it be upon any terms who is there in this place that desires it not the Lord knows peace it is the desire of those that are accused most for want of desires in this thing yea we dare challenge any of you with this challenge those who have been most at the Throne of grace begging unto God for peace for England let them carry the day those that have put forth most prayers for peace before the Throne of grace we are willing they shall have the day we read that amongst all the tribes that came up in a warlike-way to help the people of God against oppression in Iudges that of all Nephtali was the onely tribe that joyned with Zebulun that jeoparded their lives in the cause of God that would take up armes to defend themselves and the people against oppression surely these 2. tribes by the others that would not venture themselves were at that time accounted very factious and very seditious what they onely Zebulun and Nephtali why yet that is observable though there where none joyned with Zebulun but onely Nepthtali there is no tribe of which it is so much spoken to be a tribe full of courtesie and civilitie of a peaceable quiet disposition as Nephtali was you shall find that if you read the 49. of Genesis there are these 2. things said of Nephtali 1. that he was as a Hinde let loose gave goodly words I but they may be but words of complement and false nay when Moses comes with the blessing you shall find these 2. places one in Genesis and the other in Deuteronomie when Moses comes with the blessing upon Nephtali Nephtali filled with favour and with the blessing of the Lord what is the meaning Nephtali was a tribe that had most courtesy and civility of all compared to a goodly Hind of a quiet disposition and courteous language one that had the favour of God and the favour of men and yet this Nepthali was the tribe that would jeopard their lives and take up armes in defence of the people of God against oppression in those times above all And Phinehas that was so zealous and would make use of the sword God said he would make a Covenant of peace with him even with Phinehas that is such a fiery hot man a Covenant of peace must be made with him by God himself for he did indeed by that way procure peace to Israel for so the Text saith there in that place of Numbers that because Phinehas was so zealous it was saith God that I might not consume them in my jealousie As if he should have said if there had not been some amongst them that had been zealous and as they account fiery I would have been zealous my self and fiery my self and consumed them and it was well they had such amongst them and one day those that cry out of them may come to see cause to blesse God for them we had such would not have the world put off and gull'd with the fair name of peace we know the divell hath made much use of words in former times and would fain make use of it as if those that desir'd truth most were not greatest friends unto peace God forbid but it should be so why though it is true we think not we have our portion here and therefore we
dram of saving grace intitles men to the favour of God which is better then life What a difference is there then between the having the least dram of grace and the enjoyment of all the world and what a goodly portion is there here that thou so much rejoycest in certainly thy heart is strait that thou thinkest these things to be so big as in a narrow vessel a thing will appear big but in a mighty wide vessell it appears little so when the Lord by grace shall widen and enlarge thy heart then all the things of the world will be little to thee Indeed if a man be below here he looks upon that which is next to him that hath any bignesse in it as somewhat great but if a man were advanced on high on the top of a pinnacle then that which seemed great appears but little to him so the men of the world that are here lie graveling below and the curse of the serpent is upon them and they think the things of the world great matters but grace lifteth up the heart on high to God and Christ mounts it up to eternity and then we look upon all things here below as mean this was the reason that Luther when he had great gifts sent to him by many of the great men of Saxonie he began to be afraid least the Lord should reward him here in this world and he hath this expression I did vehemently protest God should not put me off so that is his word according to the manner of his language thus he speaks when there came in things of the world and he began to be tickled with honour and great men did respect him O thought he I shall be some body now in the world thus corruption began to work but grace did prevail and he breaks out with this expression I did professe God should not put me off so the Lord shall not put me off with worldly honors and dignities there are other things I look for things that are better and higher these are poor pittances for this soul of mine to be put off with all there are other things I must have from the Lord or else I cannot be satisfied that is the first thing the poor things of the world which is the portion of wicked men Secondly consider the tenure by which they hold it all you have in the world you hold it not by very good tenure it is not held in Capite I confesse this I think not the men of the world to be usurpers for what they lawfully get in the world I think not they shall answer meerely for their using what they do meerely for their right to use what they have but they shall answer for their not right using the same they shall not answer I say for their right to use but for their not right using they have some right but what right is it There is a 3. fold right 1. a right of justice that we may claim to a thing as a due what is not your right you cannot claim 2. there is a right of Creation that God gave to man at first you have lost that right now 3. there is a right of promise God hath promised all good things to his people you have not that right neither you have neither the right of justice to claim nor the right of your Creation nor the right of promise what right then There is a fourth right and that I confesse you have which is a right of donation God is pleased to give to you And thus you hold all your honours and estates that are ungodly men just thus even as a man that is condemned to dye and there being a little reprieving for 2. or 3. dayes before his execution the Prince out of his indulgence gives order to have provision made for him according to his qualitie that if he be a Gentleman he should have such provision if a Knight or a Nobleman he shall have provision according to his qualitie till his execution now no man can say this man usurpes though he hath forfeited all his right to his lands and estates yet if the King will give him this refreshment he is no usurper but it is a poor right he hath it is a right of donation and thus God gives the ungodly men in this world their right to outward comforts you have your portion but you see how you hold it The next thing to be considered is that this portion here as it is poor in regard of the mean things and the Tenure so there is a great deal of mixture there in and the truth is all the good things wicked men enjoy in this world will scarce bear charges that is there is so much trouble they meet withall in this world with their portion that what they have will scarce bear charges if a man goes a voyage we use not to count any thing he spends by the way to be part of his treasury now all we have here in this world is but spending money to bear our charges in religion God knows we shall be at a great deal of charges and afflictions we shall meet with here but besides there is a mixture of Curse in every portion of an ungodly man if any of you think you get such a rich match you get an heire that is a very rich match you get her portion if it be in money there you go fetch away the bags of gold that are her portion but if it should prove that every bag of gold you have of your wives portion had the plague in it it were but a poor portion certainly it is thus with all ungodly ones in the world that all the while they live whatsoever they enjoy continuing wicked men they have a curse of God that goes along with it and makes way unto eternall misery for them as those that are godly have the blessing of God in outward things that makes way for their eternall good so thou hast the curse of the Lord mingled with all thy outward things that makes way for eternall evill unto thee And then consider what portion thou loosest thou hast got one but thou loosest a great deal more if a man had been at the exchange and made a bargain about some petty thing and afterwards when he comes home knows that by not being at home he hath lost a purchase that would have made him and his posterity he hath little cause of rejoycing in that bargain so though thou hast got a portion that may seem to satisfie thee somewhat know thou hast lost a portion of infinite worth and value It is impossible to shew you what this portion is for the devil could shew Christ all the glory of the world in the twinckling of an eye but if I should come to shew you the glory of Heaven I had need have eternity to shew you what the portion of the Saints is but though I cannot shew it
you all I will onely give you a hint or two that you know somewhat what it is 1. It is such a portion as is fit for the spouse of the Lamb as is fit for the spouse of one that is to marry the Son of God the second person in Trinity 2. it is such a portion as is fit and suitable to an heire of life glory an heire of Heaven and Earth yea it is such a portion as God doth give men to this very end to declare what the infinite power of God is able to do to raise a poor creature to the height of happinesse what think you this must be that I say it must therefore be done that it might declare to Angels and all creatures what the infinite power of God is able to do to raise a poor creature to happinesse glory this must be somewhat Again it must be such a one as in which God must attain unto the great designe that he had from all eternity in making of Heaven and Earth which was to magnifie the riches of his grace to a Company that he had set apart to glory it must be such a portion and guesse you what this must needs be Yea it is such a portion as must require the infinite power of God to support a creature to bear the weight of that glory and all this must be now to all eternity I remember when Esau did but hear Isaac his Father tell what a blessing he had given unto Iacob he fell a weeping O that God would so strike unto the hearts of men that have so little minded any thing but the world Thou hearest but a few words to what the Lord hath reserved to all eternitie for his Saints and compare but that with what is thy portion and thou hast cause to weep I but more cause you 'l have to weep if you consider the last thing and that is what is like to be the end of all thy portion in this world if indeed thou could'st ruffle it out in this world and enjoy thy hearts desire and there an end it were somewhat O but there is somewhat else remains afterwards as 1. O the perplexity of spirit that any worldly man will have when death comes when he shall see an end of all the comforts of this world now farewell house farewell lands and farewell friends farewell acquaintance and all merry meetings and joviallities I shall never have comfort more in you as it was the speech of Pope Adrian when he was to die O thou my soul my soul whither art thou going whither art thou going thou shalt never have more jests nor be merry nor be jocund any more where art thou going so may a man that hath his portion in this world say at his death where is this poor soul of mine going I have lived here thus many years and I have had many merry meetings I have eaten with the strongest and have drunk the sweetest and gone in brave array but now my day is gone what shall become of me what peace have I now when all is gone I remember Latimer hath a story in one of his Sermons that he preached before King Edward of a rich man that when he lay upon his sick bed there came one to him and tells him that certainly by all reason they can judge he was like to be a man for another world a dead man assoon as ever he hears but these words what must I die send for a Phisitian wounds sides heart must I die wounds sides heart must I die and thus he goes on and there could be nothing got from him but wounds sides heart must I die must I die and go from all these here was all here was the end of this man that made his portion in this world Another rich man that lived not far from the place that I my self lived in heretofore when he heard his sicknesse was deadly he sends for his bags of money and hugs them in his arms O must I leave you O must I leave you And another lying upon his sickbed layed a bag of gold to his heart and then bids them take it away it will not do it will not do Another when he lay upon his sickbed his servants came to him said what lack you would you have any beer what do you want O saith he I want onely one thing peace of conscience that I would have it is not beer nor friends nor an easy pillow I want but ease of conscience O consider whether there be not like to be perplexitie in your spirits And then brethren you must be called to an account for all though as I told you before not to account for the right to use but for not right using and do but think with your selves if you now have so much as you cannot reckon how then will you be able to reckon for it if now you cannot count how will you be able to give an account at the last day especially when you have had no thoughts of this before hand There will be a dreadfull portion indeed at the day of judgement O the shame and confusion that will be upon the faces of the men of the world in that houre when they shall see their poor neighbours have their portion with Christ in glory perhaps a poor servant in the house advanced to glory and they stand on the left hand to be cast out perhaps some of these poor hospitall boyes shall be advanced to eternall glorie when as some of you that are their great masters shall be cast out eternally what an infinite shame and confusion will this be to you O now I see what it is to trust in God and not to trust in him those are happy that would trust for the future but I miserable that dar'd not trust in him The Lord will rain snares and fire and brimstones here is the portion of the ungodly at last appoint him his portion with hypocrites saith Christ where there is weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth that is the portion of hypocrites in the conclusion Now here thou seest the end of all what dost thou think then of thy portion now think but of one Text and I have done What hope hath an hypocrite though he hath gained when God takes away his soul Mark there are many hypocrites that aymed to get estates in the world but cannot thrive God crosses them well but suppose thou aymest to gain and hast got all thou wouldst desire what hope hath an hypocrite though he hath gained though he hath grown never so rich and got all he desires when God takes away his soul this time is coming it will be ere long and it may be suddenly the portion of some that are here present and perhaps this Text of mine may then ring in their ears when they lie upon their sick beds perhaps within a month or six weeks when Gods time shall be and then conscience
may repeat in your ears I heard such a day there were a generation of men that have their portion in this world and now I am afraid I am one of them and there is an end of my portion onely I must go to my other portion that will be very dreadfull I but who have you spoke too all this while who is the man that hath his portion in this world it is a poor portion as you have set out to us but every one will go away and say I hope it is not I I hope God hath a better portion for me then this therefore give me leave to speak in the name of God to you and out of his word to point out the man and woman that is like to have their portion here living and dying in such a condition First that man to whom God gives in this life nothing but what belongs to this life that is the man apparently if God give thee thy estate and if he gives thee not somewhat besides thy estate that is a principle that is a seed of eternall life in thee certainly he never intends good to thee in the world to come There are many men have a great deal in this world they say they hope God will be mercifull to them in the world to come Now this is a certain truth that man to whom God denies spirituall mercy in this world God will deny eternall mercy to him in the world to come this therefore should be thy care doth God increase my estate in this world O that the Lord would give a proportionable measure of grace or else it is nothing Lord thou givest me here a great estate if thou givest not to me together with it a proportionable measure of grace to use it to thy name I had better have been without this Is this thy care I put it to thy conscience as thy estate encreases art thou solicitous at the Throne of grace that the Lord would give thee a proportionable measure of grace to manage thy estate for his glory then peace be to thee thou art not the man You may further examine it by the workings of your hearts about your present portions As. 1 whether you enjoy what you have for it self and whether your hearts be terminated in what you do enjoy one that is godly hath his portion beyond these things he enjoyes the creatures I but it is God that he enjoyes in them that is sweet to me that I can see and taste the love of God in I but a Carnall heart enjoyes the creatures and runs away and is terminated there looks much at the creature but at little in God as divers of your hospitall children here look more at the men that were their friends to bring them into the hospitall when they were Fatherlesse and Motherlesse and shiftlesse then they look at the founders of the Hospitall they little think of them to thank God for them but if they meet with him that was the next cause to bring them in they will thank him for his kindnesse so it is with most men they look at outward means and secondary causes but a godly heart looks at the root of all things I remember one that came into the Treasurehouse of Venice where he saw Tables of gold and silver and he pointed down looking at the bottom of the Table whereupon one asked him why is your eye so at the bottom O saith he I am looking at the root of all this Alas it is a small matter for a man that hath a great trade to have a great stock A godly man though he hath but a little yet he looks at the root at the love of God and the Covenant of grace which is the spring of all and the chief thing that satisfies his heart it is the goodnesse of God that satisfies a gracious heart and not the bare creature Therefore examine how your hearts are set upon these things of the world whether your hearts go out with full strength to them if you make your bellies to be your God then your end will be destruction That man that hath his heart swallowed up in the world like Corah Dathan and Abiram that were swallowed in the earth if the things of the earth be a gulfe to swallow thy heart up there is another gulfe to swallow thee up hereafter Consider how do the losse of the things of the world take thy heart dost not thou account thy self an undone man when thou had lost some comforts dost thou not come home to thy wife and children I say I am an undone man why what is the matter I have lost some part of my estate O carnall heart one that is Gods child may have some crosses but no losses at all because he enjoyes all in God and hath God still The truth is if thou wert truly Godly whatever afflictions thou meetest with all as we say a man may put all his gain in his eye so you may if you be godly put all your crosses in your eyes you are so far from being undone Examine then whether these things of the world be not the onely suitable things to your hearts whether you blesse not your selves in these as in your happinesse the Ivie will claspe about a rotten tree and cannot be taken off it without tearing and so the heart of a worldling will clasp about these rotten comforts as the onely agreable things You may hear them sometimes tell with joy that we were in such a place and were so merry had the bravest meeting and what was there there was singing and drinking and blaspheming of the name of God yet it was the bravest meeting that could be When did you ever come from an ordinance of God and say O it was a brave day to me the Lord hath spoken to my heart this day did you never go from the word with as merry a heart and rejoyce of it amongst your friends as you did from a merry meeting you may fear you are the man that have your portion here If I were to give but one evidence whether a man hath grace or no I would give this assoon as any one Suppose thou hast got some estate in the word I put this to thee what dost thou account to be the chiefest good of thy estate more then thou didst before A man that hath got an estate more then he had before thinks with himself now I may live at a better fashion then I could now I may have more freedom then before now I may have more credit in the world then I had now I may have my own mind and satisfie my lust more then I did or then another man can do is not this the thing thou most rejoycest in nay is not this a truth that some of your hearts if your hearts were ripped up this would be the language of them most rejoyce in because hereby you have most fewel for your lusts a
poor man hath not so much fewel for his uncleanesse as you have nor so much fewell for his pride and malice as you have and many rich men account the blessing and happinesse of their estates to consist in this very thing that now they may have a larger scope for their lusts then ever they could before alas a poor man cannot go abroad and drink as you can do a poor man cannot lay out so much upon a whore and an unclean wretch as you can do and you rejoyce in this if this man hath not his portion in this world who hath the Lord strike thy wretched heart A gracious man when God blesseth him in this world though there be but a little grace in him it will work thus the Lord hath raised my condition above my brother why the Lord giveth me a larger opportunitie to do him service then my brother hath or then I had before there is such a poor man he is an honest man but God knows he can do but little in the place where he is he hath but little means but God hath given me means and this means enlarges my opportunities to do God service and for this my soul blesseth God I account my estate happier then before I now may be of more use and do God more service then otherwise I could do have you such workings in heart you rich men if you have not never be at quiet till you get your hearts working in this manner this will be a blessed testimony that God gives you a portion here and intendeth another portion for you in the world to come Again what is that thing that you strive to make most sure that which a man strives to make most sure that he counts his happinesse to consist in O for thy Land and debts thou strivest with all thy might to make them sure but as for the matter of thy salvation and peace in Christ thou hast a good hope thereof but takest no pains to make it sure See what thou dost most admire men for O such a man is happy he hath so much coming in and hath so much a year but dost thou call the vile man happy this is a signe that thou hast not thy eye enlightned canst thou look upon those that are poor and mean in this world as most happy creatures because the Lord gives them the grace of his spirit and think well it is true I have a greater estate then such a poor man that is my neighbour or then such a poor kindsman but God knows he doth God more service then I do he prayes more and more heartily in one day then I do in a whole year O the Lord hath other manner of prayers and sighes come from his poor cottage then ever he had from my brave pallace I have my citie house and my countrey house but they were never so perfumed with prayers some that live in poor cellars send up more prayers and God hath more honour from them then he hath from me in my familie perhaps there is cursing and blaspheming of God in such poor cottages there is perhaps blessing and praysing of God now canst thou look upon them as the most happy people in the world Lastly what art thou most carefull to lay up for thy children if the things of the world take up thy care for thy children most it is an argument thou thinkest thy children shall have a good portion if thou canst leave them so many thousands it is like it is thy portion too if thou countest it theirs Examine also thy services what they are dost thou put off God with slight services then know thy portion is like to be of Gods slight mercies Again art thou hypocriticall in thy service dost thou ayme at the praise of men in outward duties that is a signe thou hast thy reward here and are thy services forced that thou art compelled it is meerely conscience compells thee and not an inward agreablenesse between the frame of thy heart and holy things then it is like a servants portion will be thine and not a childs portion Further hast thou heretofore been a forward professour in religion and hast now forsaken the wayes of God I 'le give you a dreadfull Scripture for this in the 17. of Ieremiah All you that forsake the Lord shall be ashamed they that depart from me shall be written in the earth if thou hast been forward heretofore and now thou comest to be more ancient and now thou art dead and dull and cold here is a Text for thee go home tremble least thou be a man whose name is written in the earth And doth not God for the present curse thy portion thou findest the more thou hast the worse thou growest as if a man should eat meat at ones table and assoon as he hath eaten it begin to swell he will conclude certainly the meat was poysoned so when thy estate rises thy heart rises with pride surely it was poysoned with the curse of God that was in it Again I 'le onely name one signe more what sayest thou to this that man that spends his dayes without having some fear least God should put him off with the things of this world there may be some danger of that it is said of some that they feed themselves without fear you can go to a merry meeting and feed upon the chear and eat without fear but never have such a thought as this in your heart what if God should put me off with these things I hear indeed there are some menare put of so what if that should prove to be my portion what a miserable creature were I I fear there were some men never had such a thought in their lives what if it should prove so with me what a miserable creature were I. I have one word of exhortation to you all then I have done this exhortation must be divided First unto you that have some evidences that God hath given you a better portion that God hath not put you off with the portion of this world O blesse the Lord for his goodnesse to you that ever he hath shewed you better things then the world affoords your line is fallen into a good ground you have a goodly inheritance though thou hast not so much as others have yet thou hast that that will make thee happy forever I have read of one Didimus a learned godly Preacher but he was blind whereof he complained was much troubled for his want of sight whereupon a Christian friend rebuked him sharpely what saith he hath God given you that that is the excellency of an Apostle of a Minister of Christ and are you troubled for want of your sight that a pismire may have that a bruit beast may have for the want of thy sight that the rats and mice may have are you troubled with that and rather not taught to blesse God that hath given you
night with it rest not till thou art cleared of it It is an old rule but a true one all the repentance in the world and all your sorrowing for sin whatsoever will never obtain pardon without restitution unlesse you restore what you are able you can never have comfort of the pardon of that sin If you have got it when you were young being an apprentice or at first setting up away with it else it will spoil all and you 'l never have any other portion from God these hands of mine had that once given them to restore that was got wrongfully 50. years before the wrong was done 50. years ago yet after 50. years space the conscience of the man troubles him and he comes to make restitution and satisfie the wrong he had done desiring me to conveye it to such a man whom he had wronged in such a place Know therefore that all the sweet morsels that at any time you have so delight fully got down they must up again therefore willingly part with them resolve before thou go out of this place whatever thou hast got wrongfully not to keep it one minute and do it willingly else thou canst have no comfort here or hereafter if there be any true divinitie in the world this is true divinitie and yet it is hard to convince covetous men that have got their means this way If there be any that have done wrong in things betrusted to them as those that be Maisters of Hospitalls be sure you keep not that for certainly you 'l curse the time you ever took it therefore let the charge of God be strong upon you this day cast out whatever you have got falsely I have read a story of one who hearing that place of Scripture read Woe to them that joyn house to house he burst out in a loud cry woe to me and to my children then So you that are inriched through fraud and circumvention of others have cause to say woe to me and my familie what shall become of us if this be true Oh cast away this lumber this trash preferre your soul before all things whatsoever And if you would have your portion in another life be willing to join with the sufferers for Christ so Moses did though he were in the way of preferment yet he chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasur's of sin for a season Prise the Saints associate with them rather then with the jolly blades of the world It is safer joyning with sufferers then with those brave spirits that scorne goodnesse jolly blades of the world it is safer to join with the sufferers then to joyn with those that are the jolly and the brave spirits And so I have done onely desiring that the Lord would settle all home upon your spirits if it may be because something may not be so pleasing to the pallat of everie one as some other but if for that you should reject what hath been said and go away and slight this word of God know that this Text one day may prove to be as scalding lead in your consciences and that what is said concerning Doeg in Psalme 52.7 may prove to be your portion It is spoken of Doeg This is the man saith the Psalmist that did not make God his trust but trusted in his great riches this is the man So you may be pointed out one day this is the man Doeg was a great courtier and because he was an Officer to King Saul and because he had his favour he trusted in the favour of the King and in his riches and what did he care for David yet by the Text it appears he was one that made some shew of religion too in the first of Samuel 21.7 He was detained before the Lord Tremelius thinks either out of some religious vow or to keep the Sabbath or somewhat concerning that law he was detained before the Lord and yet he was a vile malignant against David and all because he trusted in the great countenance he had at Court now this is the man that made not God his trust but that trusted in his great riches The Lord forbid this Scripture should be made true of any of you I leave this Text with you that are rich men take heed I leave this Text with you that are in places of dignitie and honour take heed I leave this Text with you that are voluptuous men given up to your pleasure Take heed you hear not one day this Son remember in thy life time thou hadst thy pleasure I leave it with all that will not trust God for a portion to come and above all I leave it with all hypocrites let them take heed it be not said to them here is your reward Consider what hath been said and the Lord give you understanding FINIS THE SAINTS INHERITANCE Psalme 16.3 But to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight THey that understand the whole Psalme to foresee the Messiah and foretell of Christ make this place parallel with that of Iohn 17.19 And for their sake I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through the truth But here in the beginning of the Psalme David prayes to God for preservation and for deliverance out of some great evill that it seems was upon him or that he was in danger of The argument that he useth is First his trust in God as in the first verse Preserve me O God for in thee do I put my trust And it was not an ungrounded and unwarranted trust but that which proceeded from his interest he had in God as in the second verse O my soul thou hast said unto the Lord thou art my Lord thou art mine and my onely God in whom is all my confidence But what if David should now perish in this distresse should God be any looser by it David seems to acknowledge this that though he should not be preserved yet God was bound to preserve his own name and his own cause as it followes in the second verse my goodnesse extendeth not to thee Though I should live yet it is little that I could do for thee But to the saints that are in the earth Though my goodnesse extendeth not unto thee yet may I be of use to thy people and unto thy Saints while I live for it extends to them and they are those that my soul closeth with and hath delight in O therefore do I desire to live and to be preserved that I may be usefull to them that are thy Saints It is a great argument to prevail with God when any of you are in danger and seek for preservation if your hearts work thus to God that the desire you have to be preserved is that whatever you are and whatever you can do may extend to the Saints that you may live to be of use and service in the world to Gods people Many
said of God himâ—elf holy and reverend is his name Gods name comes to be reverend by holinesse were it not for his holinesse notwithstanding all the rest if it were possible to separate them his name would not be reverend Therefore when the Saints in heaven glorifie God for his chiefest excellency it is thus holy holy holy We find not in Scripture any of Gods Attributes thrice repeated Wise Wise Wise or Almighty Almighty Almighty but holy holy holy because the excellency of God consists chiefly in Holinesse the LORD only is Holy Now because where grace is in the creature resembling this holinesse of God there is that principle whereby the creature is able to act as God himself acts for that is holinesse the working of God to his own end in all things suitable to his nature So when the creature works to God as his last end and in some measure is suitable to that God with which the creature hath to doe here is the Image of God Therefore the Scripture expresseth grace by these 4. things as The Image of God The Life of God The glory of God and The Divine nature There are these 4. expressions for the work of grace The Image of God it resembles God in his excellency The life of God himself Ephes 4. alienated from the life of God that notes acting like God himself And then it is the glory of God himself and the divine nature 2. Pet. 1.3 So that there must needs be excellency in the Saints that have grace that is of this nature Certainly there is more of God in the meanest Saint in the meanest gracious man or woman there is more of the glory of God then in all the world besides then in heaven and earth Take all the creatures all the glory of God in the heavens in the Sunne Moon and Stars and put all into one Take all the glory of God in the seas those vast Oceans and put that into one take all the glory of God that appears in the earth all the riches of the earth and all arts and sciences and what you will put all into one and the meanest youth or servant that hath the least degree of grace hath more of the glory of God then all this is There is more of the shining of God in the least degree of grace in the poorest Christian in the world then there is in all these creatures If there were a quintessence of all the excellency and glory extracted and drawn and put into one yet there were not so much of God God could not see so much of himself in that one creature that should have the excellency of all creatures put together as he sees in the meanest Saint that hath the work of grace And surely then they are the excellent of the earth if there be so much of God in them The work of grace is that which hath most of God in it and wheresoever it is it is that which is the proper work of Gods eternall love it is a beam of it therefore there is a great deal of excellency in it Take all other creatures and it is possible to enjoy all the good that is in all the creatures in heaven and earth excepting this onely the grace of God through the bounty of God and the pleasure of God There is nothing that the creature hath but may be communicated as a fruit of Gods generall bounty except spirituall blessings in Christ but where ever this is though in the least degree it is of that nature that it cannot come but onely from the eternall election of God It is that which is the principle of Eternall life wheresoever it is it is that which will grow up to eternall glory All common gifts will never grow up to glory though they grow up to the height of glory but the grace of God true grace it is of the same nature with eternall glory Therefore for the kind of it it is the greatest good that ever God did or that ever he will communicate to any creature for all eternity I say where ever God hath communicated any dramme of grace that is the greatest good that ever God did or ever will communicate to all eternity to any of his creatures therefore it is exceeding excellent Onely excepting the work of God in the hypostaticall union of the two natures wherein he joyned the humane and the divine nature together in one person excepting that the work of grace in any soul is the greatest work that ever God did from all eternity or that ever he will do for the kind of it Now that which hath so much of God in it comes from the eternall election and love of God and is the greatest work that ever was done or ever shall be done and the greatest good that ever was or shall be communicated to any creature for ever truly this must needs be the greatest excellency For God made the world for that end that he might communicate his excellency and glory to the world to the creature Now that which was the greatest thing that God intended from all eternity for the communicating of all his glory it must needs make the creature excellent This is the first thing that the Saints are the excellent on earth in regard of the image of God upon them and the work of grace in them But secondly they are the excellent of the earth in regard of the separating of them for God they are those that God set his thoughts upon from all eternity that they might enjoy him The great counsels that God wrought from all eternity especially were set on work upon this great thing of separating of certain creatures for himself from the rest of the world Now when God shall set as it were to speak after the manner of men his thoughts and counsels on work from all eternity to set apart a few creatures for himself if these can be known who they are certainly we cannot but look on them as the excellent on earth Now wheresoever we see the work of grace in any we may by that know that these God hath separated for himself as setting his infinite wisedome on work from all eternity above that That was the thing he was most exercised in before the world about the work of separating such and such for himself The Psalmist saith O ye sons of men how long will ye turn my glory into shame How long will ye love vanity and seek after leasing But know that the Lord hath set a part him that is Godly for himself Psalm 4.2.3 Here you see that God hath set apart the godly for himself they are those that are dedicated consecrated to God therefore there is a wonderfull excellency put upon them As you know any thing that is dedicated and consecrated though it be never so mean in it self yet being once dedicated being once made a consecrated thing there is a great deal of
in prayer God gives them the key of all his treasures to come and open them and take what they will it is a glorious priviledge that belongs to the Saints in any condition God gives them a gracious praying heart and that is the key of all the treasures of God of all the excellencies of God that they have liberty to come and take out what they will be it unto thee as thou wilt These are the excellent of the earth that have these priviledges Again they are the excellent in earth in regard of that which comes from them As the work of grace is so excellent as hath been spoken of so every gracious action that comes from a gracious heart there is a wondrous excellency in it There is not any one gracious action but it hath more excellency then heaven and earth Not onely grace it self but any action that comes from grace hath more of God in it and God more delights in it then in all other things in heaven or earth It is an expression of Luther though he were a great advancer of faith yet he was also an advancer of holinesse as well as of faith therefore speaking of any gracious work of a godly man or woman saith he preciosa c. it is more precious then heaven and earth And then he goes on with another expression I had rather be able to perform any one gracious act of the poorest woman or maid of the poorest Christian that is then to be able to do all that ever Alexander or Iulius Caesar had done The least act that comes from faith from a sanctified heart he had rather be able to do it then to get all the victories of Iulius Caesar and Alexander all their triumphs and trophies were nothing to the least breathing of the work of grace in those that are godly that which comes from them are exceeding excellent Now I reason they must needs be excellent that have such excellent things come from them As when there were such excellent things came from the body of Paul that had such virtue in them that had such virtue in them that noted that there was a great deal of excellency that God conferred upon that Apostle and a great deal of honour that was put upon him So when there comes flowing such precious liquor such precious things from the Saints as an holy action is it shews that there is a great deal of excellency in them Which by the way should teach us to abound in holy duties though our actions as they are from us corrupted we look on them as despicable yet know that God looks on them as the most glorious things in the world any breathing of a gracious heart therefore he despiseth not the broken heart nor the sighing of a contrite spirit Psalm 51.17 God can despise Monarchs and Princes of the world but God cannot despise a broken heart nor any breathings from it Though thou mayest despise it thy self and look on it as despicable the Lord cannot despise it he sees so much excellency in it though it be mixed with thy corruptions yet there is that remainder of excellency in it if there be but so much as may denominate it a gracious act it is a glorious thing in the eye of God Lastly to name no more the excellency of the Saints appears in this the great use that they are of in the world As especially this is one thing that God attains in them his great aim and end in creating the whole world Were it not for a few gracious men and women what glory should God have in all the world They are those that hold up the glory of God in the world by which God hath his glory actively for that is that God aims at It is true God can force glory in spight of mens hearts he will be glorified in spight of Devils but God hath no active glory but from gracious godly people I speak of the inferiour world it is onely the godly that God hath glory from Therefore were it not for them God in some kind had made all the world for nothing Now those that are imployed in such a great work and are of this great use in the world as to bring to God that which he made the world for the main and great end that he made heaven and earth for certainly these are principall in Gods esteem and excellent God can say I have my end in these Take any town where there are but two or three that are godly what glory hath God but of these So for other places where hath God glory but for a few contemptibile ones They are these that God glorifies in high and great services these are the lights of the world the salt of the earth they are these that are the blessings of the world wheresoever they are they are these for whom the world continueth so as it doth There is a notable expression in Isaiah In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria even a blessing in the middest of the Land whom the Lord of hosts shall blesse saying blessed be Egypt my people and Assyria the work of my hands and Israel mine inheritance Isaiah 19.24.25 Wheresoever they are in a Kingdom or a family or a town they are a blessing in that Kingdome in that town and in that family Israel shall be a blessing in the middest of the Land These are they that are the excellent of the earth I would now willingly be over this that I may come to the other but onely there is a word or two of applicatian And that is First to shew what a vast difference there is between those that are godly those that are wicked Many things I might shew that the Scripture expresseth of wicked ones in all their glory let all the glory of the world be put upon them yet the Scripture speaks exceedingly contemptuously of them I must not spend time in those expressions onely one and that is Daniel And in his estate shall stand up a vile person to whom they shall not give the honour of the Kingdome but he shall come in peaceably and obtain the Kingdom by flatteries Daniel 11.21 It is spoken as most Interpreters carry it of Antiochus Epiphanes he is called a vile person we may observe that David doth here more fully set out the love and affection he bears towards those that feare God by the contrary effect of hatred wherewith he doth prosecute the wicked as in the 4. v. of this Psalm in the 4. vers of the foregoing Psalm the Psalmist saith In whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that fear the LORD Psalm 15.4 Of this Antiochus there are three things observed yet he is called a vile person First he was a great enemy to many sinnes Secondly when the Iews wrote to him because they feared his wrath he being a persecutor of the Iews there were
some that lived in Samaria that were Samaritans that wrote to him to desire his favour that were not their own selves Iews but Samaritans and Iosephus saith they wrote to him in this stile To Antiochus c. Antiochus the mighty God they gave him this title of honour He was a great man on earth accounted where he lived among the Samaritans a mighty god yet the Scripture calls him a vile person And then his name Epiphanes which is as much as illustrious or glorious He hath that title of almighty god and illustrious and glorious and yet he was a vile person Thus it is where God sees not the work of grace The consideration of this might give us some hope that there will be a time wherein God will appear for his Saints It is not probable that God will alwayes suffer his Iewels to be trodden under feet in the world that God will alway look upon such as are excellent on earth and see them so abused in the world so contemptible as they are surely this will not be alwayes God hath this time to make it manifest to the world that they are the excellent of the earth They are now Iewels yet they are such as are in the dirt and so are despised contemned but there is a promise that the Lord their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people for they shall be as the stones of a crown lifted up as an ensign upon his Land Zach. 9.16 As the stones of a Crown God will lift them up and make them honourable And there is another Text which is very observable for every one to take notice of Gods intention to make these excellent ones famous on earth The governours of Iudah shall say in their heart The inhabitants of Ierusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God Zach. 12.5 There was a time when the governours of Iudah despised those that were gracious godly but God hath promised that the governours of Iudah shall be convinced of their errour and shall say in their hearts the inhabitants of Ierusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God However now through the calumnies of the world however now through the reproaches that are cast upon the Saints of God it falls out many time that even the governours of Iudah despise and contemne them and say they are seduced people that they are factious and turbulent and so their hearts are against them hate and abhorre them look upon them with such an evill eye as those that they name puritans yet there is a time promised when the governours of Iudah shall say in their hearts the inhabitants of Ierusalem are my strength in the Lord of hosts O ye inhabitants of Ierusalem Gods Church and people his sanctified ones for Ierusalem typified the estate of Gods people under the Gospell Gods sanctified ones under the Gospell shall be such as the governours of Iudah in their hearts shall say My strength is in them I see they are my best subjects my chief strength is in them and they are of principall use for me and my Kingdom is upheld in peace for them and there is the blessing of God on them they shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God Now I see God is their God God hears their prayers and hath done much for them we are convinced of it O this will be a blessed time when it shall be that the governours of Iudah shall say so Blessed be God that they do say so in any measure that the governours of Iudah say at all of the inhabitants of Ierusalem of the godly that their strength is in them that they may see those that are the excellent of the earth in any measure to be truly the excellent of the earth It were a ruefull spectacle and would draw tears of bloud to see the excellent ones to have that usage that they have had But now to see those excellent ones countenanced in a publick way especially in publick courts of Iustice it is glorious when the governours of Iudah shall do it And this we are to pray for that it may be more and more seen amongst us and to say no more let us learn to honour them that God hath honoured since they are excellent ones and God hath put excellency upon them do you so too look on them according as God esteems them It is observed that God in the time of the law did not require them to offer in sacrifice Lions and Eagles those brave creatures but Lambs and Doves mean creatures he would have offered in sacrifice So God doth not regard the brave spirits of the world that strut it out but if there be any that be gracious and godly though they he never so poor and mean as Lambs and Doves God honours and respects them they are a sacrifice to him the broken heart is a sacrifice to God The sacrâ—fices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O Lord thou wilt not despise Therefore when God would lift up himself in glory he saith He that dwells in the high and lofty place What of him he looks to those that are of humble and contrite hearts and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit As if there were no other subject in the world worth looking upon he looks onely to them As a thing that is before ones eye that he prizeth his eye is fastned on that so God looks on them as if they were the onely object to be looked at therefore let them be looked at by us with reverence in our hearts it is fit that we should honour those that God honours Therefore it is observed in the message of the King of Babylon to Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32.31 When Hezekiah was sick and God had given him a sign of his recovery that the sun did go backward It was a wondrous honour that God put on him that the sun should go backward The ambassadours of the king of Babylon came to congratulate with Hezekiah after his recovery but what was the businesse not onely to congratulate with him for his recovery but to enquire of the great miracle so the Text saith the ambassadours of the Prince of Babylon were sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land Why did they enquire of this wonder there were many wonders done but they were not sent to enquire of others but of this Because they worshipped the sun for their god and because their god had put such an honour upon Hezekiah they perceived the altering of the sun that it went backward and they enquired of the matter concerning the alteration in the sun and after enquiry there was news that it was for the sake of Hezekiah Now because they worshipped the Sun as their god and so apprehended that their god had put such an honour upon Hezekiah they honoured him
a delightfull work as they are together to praise God Christ is praising him as they worship Christ is worshipping Now every Saint of God hath the spirit of Christ in him and so he delights in the society of the Saints on this ground because there is worshipping of God and God is praised solemnly among them If there be any place in the world wherein God hath solemne worship it cannot be grieve a gracious heart that he is not with them for his heart is with them he delights to be with them especially in such a work as that it grieves him that he cannot be there It is a note of an Interpreter that I have met with upon Isaiah 6. where the Angles cry Holy holy holy Lord of Hosts the Prophet cryes Woe unto me for I am undone c. saith he upon this ground because he could not joyn with those blessed creatures and so magnifie and praise and worship God that he through his sinfulnesse was not able to joyn with them he cryes Woe is me I am undone So when any gracious heart doth but hear that there is a people in the world that are precious ones the excellent on earth that joyn in the worship of God and honour God in his own way and enjoy communion with God and I cannot joyn with them woe to me that there should be any let or hinderance that I cannot come and joyn with them for my heart is there my delight is in the Saints when they are jointly together because Gods solemne worship is there But thirdly my delight is in the Saints jointly in regard of the wonderfull delight God hath in them A gracious heart must needs delight in them because God himself takes so much delight in them but especially when they are jointly together There are speciall expressions in Scripture of Gods taking delight in the Saints jointly as in Zephany Zeph. 3.17 The Lord thy God in the middest of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy he will rest in his love he will joy over thee with singing What expressions are here of Gods delighting in his people The Lord thy God will rejoyce he will rejoyce over thee with joy he will love he will rest in his love and joy and joy over thee with singing And in Isaiah you shall find that the Church is called Hephzibah Gods delight Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken neither shall thy Land any more be termed Desolate but thou shalt be called Hephzi bah and thy land Beulah for the Lord delighteth in thee and thy land shall be married Isaiah 62.4 it is a wondrous delight that God hath in his Saints There are wonderfull expressions in Scripture for the manifesting of Gods delight even to admiration especially in the Church jointly together They are such expressions as we could not think or invent as namely that he calls his people his portion his pleasant portion for the Lords portion is his people Iacob is the lot of his inheritance Deut. 32.9 God calls them his inheritance the lot of his inheritance Ier. 12.7 he calls them the dearly beloved of his soul Exod. 19.5 he calls them his peculiar treasure Now therefore if ye will obey my voice indeed and keep my covenant then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people God hath treasures in the world the creatures that are called the good treasures of the Lord Deut. 28. but his people are called his peculiar treasure there is a particularity There is another kind of excellency in the people of Gods delight then in all other creatures they are his common treasure but his people are his peculiar treasure God calls them his glory I will glorifie the house of my glory I will place salvation in Zion for my glory Isa 46.13 The crown of his glory Isa 60.7 he calls them the Throne of his glory Isa 62.3 Thou shalt be a Crown of glory in the hand of the Lord and a royall diadeem in the hand of thy God In severall places that I cannot stand on His glory the House of his glory the Crown of his glory the Throne of his glory He calls them the royall Diadeem he calls them his ornament an ornament set in Majesty and glory There are the expressions and more I might name of Gods delighting in his people Therefore if God delight in them and find satisfaction much more should we Christs speaks of his Church O my sister my spouse my heart is ravished with thee It is a strange expression for Christ himself to be ravished with his people It is an expression beseeming the Church to have said so to Christ but for Christ to say to the Church it is wonderfull And again My love my dove my undefiled one Cant. 2. and at that very time when the Church was in a state of security that Christ should call her his love his dove his undefiled all to expresse the abundance of delight in his people Well if God have such delight in them much more should the Saints Again if we consider further the presence of God among his people it is another argument why the Saints of God should take so much delight in other Saints especially when they are joyned together because God is present there The Lord is here is the name of all their assemblies The Lord dwells and hath his tabernacle in Sion It is a strange expression concerning the presence of God in that he makes his people his habitation As the people of God call God their habitation so God calls his Church his habitation God dwells in Sion Psal 90. Would you not delight to keep house with God Where Gods people are God keeps house and we should long to have it our own house and not come as strangers A man may come as a stranger and take a bit and be refreshed in a family but it is not his house But now Gods people when they go to others of the Saints they see God there and they have that house for their house It is called as I told you the house of his glory that house that God desires to dwell in he hath a mighty love to that house to dwell among his people In Psalm 132. there are many great and excellent expressions For the Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his habitation Psal 132.13 14. God desires Zion what is Zion but onely his Saints and people joyned together Zion was a type of the Church so now all the Saints of God together are Zion Now God hath a desire to this habitation God dwells in the high and holy place the highest heaven is God habitation but though God have such a house in heaven yet he is not as it were contented with that house but he desires another house he hath a desire to Zion to be his habitation and the house where his honour dwelleth You know a Prince may have some houses of meaner
so shall all the just they shall shine as the Sun every glorified Saint by the reflection not onely of their mind but if their ocular body upon one another by a mutuall reciprocation of their beams every one shall shine in every one The glory of the soul shall transfuse it self and redound to the body Saint Paul in effect speaks as much as it is sowen a naturall body it riseth a spirituall body As the soul here is swallowed up of the body to the body as it were shall be swallowed up of the soul in a word both soul and body shall be turned into glory and the glory shall be to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight FINIS THE RIGHTEOUS MANS REFVGE Ieremiah 33.3 Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great mighty things which thou knowest not THe Prophet Ieremiah in this the foregoing Chapter layes down sundry and eminent mercies that he intends for the good of his elect people notwithstanding their provoking of God by their severall relapses sundry backslidings though their enemies also did threaten them with utter desolation and that they should be desolate without man and without inhabitant and without beast yet the voice of joy and the voice of gladnesse the voice of the Bridegroom the voice of the Bride the voice of them that shall say praise the LORD of hosts for the Lord is good for his mercy endureth for ever this voice shall be to the inhabitants of Ierusalem But by what means shall these mercies be bestowed on then in this Text he tells them where ever they are afflicted or in any great distresse call unto me and I will answer thee And as Christ in the Gospell having the book of the Prophet Esaias delivered unto him when he was in the Synagogue read apart of it then closed the book and began his sermon to the people this day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears Luke 4.21 So may I say of this Text that we have out of this Prophecy read unto you Behold this day hath the Lord fullfilled this word of his in our ears before our eyes And therefore is it that we are all here this day met before the Lord that we may witness unto this his good word and promise Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not In the two last Verses of this Chapter the Lord promiseth to establish a Covenant with David and raise up a deliverance to the seed of Iacob and cause them to return out of their captivities he will have mercy on them That which he saith to his people he speaks it plainly and openly I have not spoken in secret in a dark place of the earth The heathen Gods did speak darkly and ambiguously to their worshippers that they knew not what to make of their words but I have not done so to you saith God They would have you worship them but they cannot help you when you have so done it is not so with me Thus saith the Lord if my Covenant be not with day and night and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth then will I cast away the seed of Iacob that is the Church of God the Saints You will say Why are the people of God called the seed of Iacob rather then the seed of Abraham or the seed of Isaac the seed of Iacob The reasons may be these two First because that all Iacobs posterity were the Church of God all Iacobs children the Patriarchs were every one of the Church All that came from Abraham were not so Ishmael was not so All that came from Isaac were not so Esau was not But all Iacobs children were therefore speaking of the people of God of the Church that should be to the end of the world they are said here to be the seed of Iacob rather then the seed of Abraham or of Isaac Then secondly the seed of Iacòb because the Lord is here speaking of the blessing of his seed namely in the hearing of their prayers Call unto me and I will answer thee Now because Iacob was the most eminent in prayer though Abraham and Isaac no question were mighty with God in prayer yet the Scripture doth not put such an eminency either upon Abraham or Isaac for prayer as upon Iacob You have the most eminent expression for prayer that ever was spoken of any man never the like Gen. 32.28 And he said thy name shall be called no more Iacob but Israel for as a Prince hast thou power with God and with men and hast prevailed O how eminent was he in prayer Therefore it is rather said the seed of Iacob then of Abraham or Isaac But you will say then they should rather have been called the seed of Israel for his name of Israel was given him upon his prevailing with God We must not be too inquisitive These names are used promiscuously But this is one reason that is given and it seemeth to have probability with it In Scripture when God speaks of the Church in a low condition he puts the name of Iacob on them rather then Israel Fear not thou worm Iacob and it follows ye men of Israel Isa 41.14 He puts them in mind of their low condition by this name rather then Israel Fear not thou worm Iacob For before Iacobs name was changed ye know what a low condition and what streights he was in So here the Lord speaking of his Churches deliverance out of distress he calls them the seed of Iacob that they might see how by their prayers they were brought from their streights as Iacob was brought from his streights by prayer When he was Iacob before he was Israel he was in great streights so shall the Church be till they seek God Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not That is first I did require it of them and my requiring did prevail with them I did not exhort them to it or require it and my words fell to the ground and they did not call unto me but what I required of them was effected in them When God speaks to a people and they do not what he requires his word may seem to be slighted there being no efficacy in his words to prevail But saith God Call unto mee and I will answer thee that is I called not on my people to call unto me and they went their own way but what I spake to them prevailed with them and in them and they did that which I required This is a blessed thing that we do that which the Lord requires of us to be done That is the first observation Secondly call unto me and I will answer thee that is I did not onely command but I did promise to answer them They calling unto me in a right manner by
declare thy name unto my brethren in the middest of the Church will I sing praises unto thee Christ in the middest of the Church sings praise to God When people meet to praise God Christ praiseth him It is a mighty encouragement in praising God So in prayer when we meet to seek God Christ seeks him for he is at the right hand of the Father making continuall intercession for the Saints Christ himself joynes with them in the work that their prayers may be heard and answered Again it is the stile and title that God glories in to be a God hearing prayer therefore he will hear and answer Again prayer is the pouring forth of the spirit to God the spirit that is so be beautified with the graces of his own spirit now the pouring forth of such a precious spirit to God so beautified and principled with the graces of the holy Ghost certainly this cannot but be answered by God Indeed the Scripture saith of the heart of the wicked that it is little worth Let their heart be poured fourh God doth little mind or regard it but the heart of the righteous is much worth it is very precious before God therefore when their hearts are poured out and God sees the beauty and glory of his graces on them it is exceeding delightfull to him and such pouring out of their hearts are heard and answered If God have a bottle for all their tears he hath a bottle also for all their expressions and pouring out of their hearts in prayer Further the exceeding delight that God hath in his Saints must needs cause God to regard their calling unto him They are his darlings now there is no man that loves to deny a suit to any that he delights in Lastly it were not for the honour of God that his people should call unto him and not be answered nor receive that comfort they pray for It is reported of Titus though he were a heathen Emperour yet he would not that any man should go sad out of the presence of the Prince God accounts it an honour that none should go sad out of his presence Therefore those are called on to rejoyce that seek the Lord. Let the hearts of them rejoyce that seek the Lord Psalm 105.3 not onely let the heart of them rejoyce that find the Lord that obtain that they seek but those that seek the Lord while they are seeking should rejoyce in seeking him But now I will onely take away that great objection and reasoning that is in the hearts of many men against this point and then come to the application You tell us that the prayers of Gods people are not in vain But when they call unto him he will answer them and by Gods mercy now and then we have found some comfortable hearing from heaven but ordinarily we find it otherwise How many prayers have we put up to God and find not the issue we pray and pray and the enemies prevail though now and then God give us help Now for the taking away of all unbelieving reasonings against this point I will not go from the Text at this time Therefore the first answer is this You say you have sought God and have not what you would have and therefore God hath not answered when you have called Though perhaps this that you now say is something yet it makes not the text void Remember what hath been before heretofore you have sought God and God had answered your seekings remember the times of old let that for the present a little stay you It was that that stayed the Psalmist he began to reason as you do that he had sought God without answer Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise fail for evermore c. Psalm 7 8. here seems to be as much unbelief as in your reasoning but mark what follows v. 10. And I said this is my death but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high O it is my sinne and weaknesse that I should reason thus I consider not what to do when I reason thus but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high vers 11. I will remember the works of the Lord sureâ—y I will remember the wonders of old v. 12. I will meditate also of all thy works and talk of thy doings Thy way O God is in the sanctuary who is so great a God as our God Thou art the God that doest wonders thou hast declared thy strength among the people v. 14. Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people the sons of Iacob and Ioseph v. 15 Mark at length he recovers himself with this though present things seem to go hard yet he remembred what God had done so do thou in this case In this book of Isaiah you have a complaint of unbelieving hearts as if God had been sought in vain Isa 40.27 Why sayest thou O Iacob and speakest O Israel my way is hid from the Lord and my judgement is passed over from my God Art thou one of the seed of Iacob and hast sought God and sayest thou hast had no answer God reasons the case and will confute their unbelief Hast thou not known hast thou not heard that the everlasting God the Lord the creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary there is no searching of his understanding He giveth power to the faint to them that have no might he increaseth strength Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall v. 28 29 30 31. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk not faint Hath not God done great things heretofore in 88. and in the powder plot and at other times and though we be in some streights remember what God did before This should appease your hearts what though thou have not present audience for the thing thou seekest yet think I deal with a God that hath an understanding that I cannot search God it may be lets the adversary prevail sometimes I cannot tell what glory God may get by it I cannot conceive how God can bring his own glory about when Israel flees before the Philistines But why sayest thou so O Iacob there is no searching of Gods understanding God sees further then thou canst see that thing that thou thinkest will make against his name may make for it therefore lay thine hand upon thine heart He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might God stayes till men have no might till they faint and are ready to fail and then he comes and helps them That is the meaning of that Scripture in Luke where Christ saith God will avenge his elect that cry night and day to him though he tarry he will
the red sea They say that Moses had learned of the Egyptians and they were great Astronomers and Moses knew when it would be a low tyde and what constellations there would be at that time and that the tyde would prove low then more then ever in the age of man and Moses took the nick of time end lead them through the sea Thus atheists would darken the works of God put them of to naturall causes So I find it related of the old Prophet in Ieroboams time Iosephus hath it related of him he sent to Ieroboam to stretch out his hand he tells us that this was by accident he was wearied all the day long and now he had the Palsie and after it was restored again that which was done by prayer he would have it by naturall means Iust thus it is when God hath so magnified his mercy to England and wrought such wonders yet manie carnall atheisticall spirits say this was an accidentall thing and the policie of such men brought it to passe they attribute all to naturall causes it is a sign of wretched profane heart For if God ever magnified prayer he hath done it in these dayes There are 2 or 3 Scriptures that since the world began were never more magnified then by Gods working at this day One is in Exodus 13. In the thing wherein they dealt proudly God was above them Never since the world began was that more fulfilled A second is that in the 10. Psalme The wicked are snared in the work of their own hands If ever there were a fulfilling of that Scripture since the beginning of the world it is as this day A third is this in the Text. I said not to the seed of Iacob seek ye my face in vain God as I said hath raised a spirit of prayer among the seed of Iacob more then ever any in the world knew there was never the like spirit of prayer raised nor never the like things done for prayer And the Lord the rather honoured the ordinance of prayer now because men so dishonoured it before and persecuted it that the people of God could not meet and assemble to fast and pray but presently it was a conventicle and they were persecuted as factious people Because God saw this way despised he hath honoured it and the former and the latter mercies that we have received we are to attribute to the goodnesse of God by prayer they were obtained by prayer Let us still be incouraged to call unto God for what we would have for God hath said call upon me and I will answer thee There are many of us now that can do little else if God have delivered you from sicknesse and other evils know that God hath delivered you to pray the lesse you can do otherwise the more you should do in prayer I have read of a heathen Nuâ—a Pompylius that he would never go about any thing but he would go to the temple and pray you that are instruments intrusted with our lives and liberties you had need to pray much go into your closets and sanctifie all your thoughts and resolutions by prayer that your help and assistance may not be in vain to us And all others had need to assist you in seeking God in prayer This incouragement we have that there is not any of us that seek God alone but we joyn with thousands why should our place be found empty why should not our prayers joyn with the rest We shall meet manie prayers in heaven the prayers of our forefathers the prayers of those that are dead and gone that did not live to enjoy the fruit of their prayers yet when we pray for mercies our prayers meet with theirs in heaven therefore let us be incouraged to call unto the Lord. And if mercies should come what a daunting would this be to our hearts that mercies are come but we have not sought them and if mercies come not conscience will flie in our face that we have been sensuall carnall creatures and it is for our neglect of calling unto God that God hath denied us the mercies that we expected And then it should be a use of rebuke to those that begin to seek God and continue not O wretch why hast thou left whether wilt thou go Is it in vain to serve the Lord certainly thou wert never acquainted with God and his wayes thou wilt find it a dreadfull change when it shall appear that thou had left God the fountain of living water and hast sought after vanitie and forsaken thine own mercy But the main of all should have been for the applying of it to the present occasion The Lord hath made good his word this day call unto me and I will answer thee· This day testifies it to be true that they are great things that prayer hath done I have heard manie years ago by credible testimonie that on this fifth of November when we had such a great mercie so manie years ago that verie day it was known that a great manie godly people in the citie kept in fasting and prayer so as it was eminently known and delivered from hand to hand of them in the city at that time and you know what God did But what hath he done of late If our fathers should rise out of their graves and we should tell them that now the high commission that they were so troubled with is down that there shall be no more star-chamber that cutting off of ears is gone they would wonder how this should come to passe And whereas Parliaments were wont to be snapped in sunder that this Parliament is to continue by as firm an Act as any thing in the land is made by And for oppressours all the Courts and Bishops Chanceries they are down and gone God hath extirpated them they were first cast out of the house and now out of the Kingdome And though an armie did rise and seek to bring us into slaverie yet God hath given us victory though some have suffered hardly and brought the adversaries very low to surrender their towns and castles and arms And here we are to rejoyce in God and to blesse him for all If many of our ancestours should rise and hear what we speak how we hold up our hands and blesse God with what hearts would they joyn in the praising of God and wonder that ever such things should be done Let not the grace of God be in vain as God hath not said to us seek my face in vain What use shall we make of it Let us give him reall praise and not onely come to repeat it and tell God of it but make his praise glorious put a glorie on it and then we do it when we make a right use of his mercies when we receive not his mercies in vain What is to make use of the memoriall we celebrate First the remembrance of these mercies must humble us that is a sweet humbling it is better to be